A holiday at Mentone

"A Holiday at Mentone" by Australian artist Charles Conder is a stunning depiction of a sunny day at Mentone Beach in Melbourne. Created in 1888, the painting illustrates people engaging in various seaside activities under the bright midday sun, imbuing it with a distinctly Australian essence.

Conder, who was just 20 years old when he arrived in Melbourne, first exhibited this painting at the Victorian Artists' Society Spring Exhibition in November 1888. His work during this period was influenced by Japanese art and possibly by the renowned painter James McNeil Whistler. It is speculated that the figures in the painting might even represent fellow artists Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton.

This painting is not only one of Conder's most celebrated pieces but is also regarded as a cornerstone of Australian Impressionist art. Terence Lane, a senior curator at the National Gallery of Victoria, commends its abstract composition and the quintessentially Australian ambiance it portrays. Today, "A Holiday at Mentone" is proudly part of the collection at the Art Gallery of South Australia.